Game-changer at the World Cup: Germany star was an HSV fan as a kid! | OneFootball

Felix Nmecha is so far one of the big winners of the 2026 World Cup. Ahead of Germany’s final group match against Ecuador, the midfielder is more than ever in the spotlight. He has a surprising connection to HSV.

While many eyes are on Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, or Deniz Undav, Nmecha is putting together an outstanding tournament. In the 7–1 opening win over Curaçao, the 25-year-old scored Germany’s first goal of this World Cup, paving the way for the eventual rout.

Nmecha was also one of the standout performers in the 2–1 win over Ivory Coast. With his rare combination of size, physicality, and pace, he stopped numerous promising Ivorian counterattacks. Then, shortly before the end, he provided the decisive moment: with a precise pass, he set up Deniz Undav’s stoppage-time winner.

It already seems clear that Nmecha can no longer be left out of Germany’s starting XI as the tournament progresses. If anything, head coach Julian Nagelsmann could give the Dortmund player a rest in the meaningless final group match against Ecuador (Thursday, 10:00 p.m.). Germany have already secured top spot in Group E ahead of schedule.

Photo: Getty Images

HSV vs. St. Pauli: The Nmecha family was divided!

Nmecha’s rapid rise is also interesting from an HSV perspective. The box-to-box midfielder was born in Hamburg-Altona and spent part of his childhood there. Before the family moved to England and Nmecha was developed in Manchester City’s youth academy, he learned to play football in the heart of the Hanseatic city.

“My brother and I always played football in the street,” Nmecha recalled a few months ago, when he faced HSV in the Bundesliga with BVB. What is particularly noteworthy: even back then, his club loyalty belonged to the Rothosen. “I was always Hamburg, my brother was more St. Pauli,” the midfielder revealed. The rivalry even went so far that the two brothers wanted different shirts of their favorite clubs.

Despite all the sympathy for HSV and his currently outstanding performances, Nmecha is not entirely without controversy. The international has faced criticism in the past over homophobic content shared through his social media channels. Earlier this year, the issue was also addressed at a meeting of queer football fan groups at the Volksparkstadion. At the very least, this aspect should not go unmentioned.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.